One issue in
today’s society that we have brought up in class previously, but that I feel is
suitable for the argument of Utilitarianism versus Deontology, is the prison
system in the U.S. In both the Deontologist’s and Utilitarian perspective, it
would be unjust.
This is firstly
due to the Kantian belief that people should not be treated as simply means,
but as ends. In using the prisoners as a work force for large corporations, the
American prison system is effectively treating the inmates as means. Also, while
the prisoners are being presented with “strict justice,” as they have broken
the law (due to their breaking of the law they are thus hindering the freedom
of the general population, and in Kant’s view coercion is acceptable), they are
not simply doing time, but are also being coerced into manufacturing products
for companies (Kant 152).
In the Utilitarian
view, while Mill explains the human desire to punish a person who has done
wrong, our current system does not abide by his six aspects included in
justice. In his essay “On the Connexion between Justice and Utility,” one of
the six aspects in particular directly interferes with our penal system. The
fifth portion of justice, for example, states roughly that ‘favoritism or
preference in inappropriate circumstances is unjust.’ If we apply this to the
racial stereotyping that occurs in our American system, it is proved to be
unjust.
I definitely think both philosophers would find flaws in our prison system. Another thing Mill might take issue with is restricting the rights of convicted felons. He says that it is unjust to infringe upon someone's legal rights, so is the government unjust in taking away certain rights from people? One could argue that the things felons are restricted from doing aren't rights, but they seem to be ingrained as such in our society.
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